Ewan had navigated the currents of life long enough to possess an acute awareness of exactly what schemes were fermenting within this middle-aged woman's mind. It was entirely possible that she had fixated upon his physical appearance, or perhaps she was coveting his distinct biological status as an Omega. Alternatively, and perhaps most pragmatically, she might have been eyeing his unique capability to summon Slimes, harboring designs to utilize these creatures as unpaid labor to till and cultivate the fields for her family.
Regardless of which specific aspect she had set her sights on, her ultimate objective was undeniably devoid of any benevolence. Ewan could even vaguely surmise the underlying confidence behind her actions. The reason she could be so blatantly treacherous and bare-faced in her approach was simply that she relied on her status as a native of this land. She was a local, deeply rooted in this soil. Ewan, on the other hand, was not.
He was merely an Omega who had recently drifted to this place, a stranger in a strange land possessing neither financial resources nor political influence. He had no blood relatives to call upon, no kin to support him, and certainly no benefactors to offer assistance. The only individual with whom he shared even a tenuous connection was Asher Ryder, and he was currently absent from the vicinity. Consequently, if this woman and her hulking son decided to attempt something nefarious right now, it was far from certain that anyone would step forward to intervene or offer a helping hand.
Truly, humanity was a species of infinite variety, manifesting in a myriad of forms and temperaments. There were those who were genuinely gentle, simple, and kind-hearted, radiating a natural goodness like Mrs. Thelma and Simon. Then, unfortunately, there were those who mirrored the woman standing before him now, individuals driven by greed and selfishness, constantly calculating how to extract profit from others, and willing to abandon both their morality and their self-respect in the pursuit of personal gain.
From the moment Ewan shifted into a state of heightened defensiveness, the Slimes, who had been multitasking between their agricultural duties and playful frolicking in the fields, simultaneously ceased their activities. They were entities summoned by Ewan, intrinsically linked to his very consciousness. Consequently, they were acutely sensitive to the emotional fluctuations of their master, particularly when he sensed malice directed toward him. This was especially true for Flarie. As the earliest summon, rescued by Ewan from the hands of Asher Ryder, it shared a closer and more profound bond with Ewan than the rest of the group.
Moreover, the Fire element was inherently a primary combat element, characterized by volatility and aggression, meaning Flarie's temperament was anything but docile. Upon perceiving that someone was attempting to bully its master, the crimson hue of its gelatinous body began to deepen significantly, shifting from a bright red to a dark, intense scarlet. Its body, originally expanding to the size of half a meter, began to contract until it was only two-thirds of its original volume. However, this reduction in size was not a sign of weakness; rather, the concentration of the fire element within was being compressed, becoming far more dense and potent. The surrounding temperature spiked abruptly, the heat radiating from the small creature causing the air around it to shimmer and distort visibly.
It did, however, possess the presence of mind to exercise control, ensuring the flames did not spread wildly and affect the surrounding environment. Yet, it was bounding toward Ewan's position with remarkable velocity.
Pew pew!
Accompanied by its characteristic sound, the Slime's telepathic voice transmitted directly into Ewan's mind, filled with childish yet lethal protective instinct: [Bullying Big Brother... burn... burn... burn to death!]
Ewan hurriedly turned his head, and sure enough, he saw Flarie, on the verge of transforming into a literal living fireball, bouncing aggressively toward them. Panic flared in his chest, not for himself, but for the consequences. He quickly shouted, injecting his voice with command: "Flarie! Stop! Bubbly, Mossy, hold him back immediately!"
Ewan's voice was not quiet. It projected the inherent authority of a summoner over his charges. It was this specific pressure that temporarily halted Flarie's aggressive charge. Being scolded by its beloved master, it let out a hiss of grievance, flattening its body against the ground in a sulk, though the elemental fire continued to flicker steadily across its surface, betraying its lingering anger.
"How many times have I told you? You are not allowed to release your elements at will like that! Retract it, now!" Ewan regarded Flarie with a stern, reprimanding gaze. He knew perfectly well that Flarie only wanted to protect him, and his heart softened slightly at the thought. However, the elemental discharge of these creatures was comparable to the raw attack power of a Star Beast. He did not want them to display this dangerous aspect openly, lest the locals mistake them for feral Star Beasts and attempt to hunt them down or destroy them out of fear.
As for the mother and son duo, upon seeing the massive, blazing Slime that had been mere seconds away from ramming into them, they retreated several steps in sheer terror. The woman's face turned ashen, draining of all color, and Buck didn't look much better, his previous bravado evaporating in the face of elemental fire.
However, the moment she realized that the terrifying monster immediately obeyed Ewan after just a few words of scolding, her fear was instantly replaced by opportunistic cunning. She immediately started wailing and making a scene, seizing the chance to stir up trouble: "Oh, heavens! Look! Just look at this boy from god knows where! What kind of abomination are you raising? Was it trying to kill people just now? Good lord! Does that look any different from those monsters people talk about?"
She raised her voice to a shriek, hoping to attract an audience: "Neighbors, come and see! I had the best of intentions, telling my son to come over and help him, planning to support him, and yet he releases that freak of nature to murder me and my son! Everyone! Village elders! Come quickly and witness this atrocity!"
She slumped onto the dirt in a heap, sitting flat on the ground. She began to slap her thighs rhythmically, a universal gesture of feigned grievance among the melodramatic, while wailing with a misery that seemed entirely manufactured for the audience. The situation had escalated so rapidly and absurdly that Ewan was left standing there, completely dumbfounded.
What in the world was happening?
He hadn't even done anything yet!
Seeing his mother resorting to her usual theatrics, Buck regained his confidence and stomped forward aggressively to intimidate Ewan, playing his part in their rehearsed routine: "You there! My mother had good intentions and wanted to help you, and this is how you act? If you know what's good for you, apologize to my mother right now and compensate our family for the mental damage. Otherwise, you won't hear the end of this! You won't have a peaceful day in this village!"
Ewan was truly stupefied by this pair. Did such unreasonable people really exist in this world, people who wrote their own scripts, acted in their own plays, viewed themselves as the absolute center of the universe, and said whatever they pleased regardless of the truth?
Seeing the situation descending into chaos and realizing he likely couldn't physically overpower the hulking man in front of him, Ewan began to seriously consider the option of releasing the Slimes to give these two a scare they would never forget. Just then, a voice filled with authority rang out, cutting through the noise: "Buck! Buck's mother! What kind of stunt are you pulling this time?"